Hijacking the local food movement

The New York Times has an article in its food section today about huge corporations like Frito-Lay and ConAgra marketing themselves as “local” producers. Obviously, such corporate behemoths are anathema to many people who’ve embraced the local food movement.

ConAgra’s spokeswoman cites food safety, quality, and cost as reasons the appeal of local produce is growing. The thing is, I can’t see how someone who is concerned about any of those things (with the exception of cost) would have their worries assuaged by the fact that the industrial farm happens to be relatively nearby.